CrossFit is a workout based on functional movements. It provides the ability for the muscles to perform real-life challenges with high intensity. It is developed to enhance an individual’s competency at all physical tasks. With the help of it, athletes get trained to perform successfully at diverse, multiple, and randomized physical challenges. CrossFit is certainly a great way to stay fit and get some variety for those who already have a strong base and solid aerobic. How is CrossFit Training Different? CrossFit is one of the efficient ways to get in shape whether you are a sedentary desk jockey or a world-class athlete. The training will be different in weight and endurance, but the approach is same, and everybody can improve in the ten generally recognized physical skills: Cardiovascular and respiratory endurance Stamina Speed Agility Power Accuracy Coordination Flexibility Balance Strength Benefits of CrossFit Training: The intense CrossFit workouts help in weight loss. It will release lactic acid and also boost metabolic rate. You will be able to burn calories for about 12 to 14 hours after your workout, depending on how intense it was. The CrossFit training helps to tone your muscles. When you lose the fat, your body will look toned, and the jiggly bits that used to be the bane of your existence will melt away revealing a svelte or sinewy body, depending on your gender. CrossFit helps thousands of people to have fantastic body transformations. It increases strength, stamina, and energy that not only improves your fitness level but also built up your confidence level.   CrossFit is more than just a training program. It takes a lot of willpower since it is challenging. Many people who try it, give up easily. However, those who go with it for 2 to 3 months will notice how beneficial it is. Once you see your excess fat is decreasing and your muscles starting to show, you will be motivated and include each CrossFit workout in your routine with excitement.

CrossFit workouts are usually quite intensive. For this reason, to maintain a healthy, sculpting, lean and toned body, there is some recommended work out diet. One of the essential components of a good intensive workout diet is protein. It stabilizes blood sugar, provides energy and fuel body requires for workouts. Besides protein, there are other important foods to add to your diet to keep you in good shape whenever you workout. Adding these foods to your diet at least daily will get your body functioning optimally. Here are some of the readily available foods to consider. Banana and whey After working out, it is obvious you refuel and optimize your recovery by replenishing glycogen stores and protein to enhance tissue repair. At this point, your body tends to crave fast-absorbing carbohydrates, and protein. Banana and whey are perfect examples of these fast-absorbing nutrients. Coconut oil Now, the reason why coconut oil is recommended by nutritionists is that it provides energy faster than any other fatty foods. Coconut oil fat is converted by the liver into an instant energy source, just like it is in the case of carbohydrates, the only difference is that it is sugar and carbohydrate-free! Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds have the highly required nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids by the body. These nutrients effectively refuel your recovery after a CrossFit workout. Sweet potatoes The body needs functional carbs as an energy booster. Glycogen is stored in the muscles (and the liver partially). The body depends on this glycogen from the muscles for energy to carry you through your workout. Eggs Actually, for CrossFitters, eggs are a superfood. Eggs are rich in protein and vitamin B. One egg normally carries about 7 to 10 grams of protein. So, starting the day with a few eggs in your protein budget daily will be enough fuel for you when you hit the gym.

Many people come to CrossFit with the hope that one day they will scale the heights and top the list of CrossFit champions. However, this doesn’t come easy. What you do between now and the next CrossFit games will determine how far you can go in the competitions. You need a holistic CrossFit training perspective which brings in everything from nutrition to recovery. Your laser focus may just earn you the top spot on the podium and the much-coveted title of “Fittest Man on Earth.” If you are ready for this, below are some ideas to get you on the road. Cutting the Junk One of the biggest changes and sacrifices you will have to make is on your diet. If you have been eating terribly before, you need to streamline your diet so that it can go well with the CrossFit requirements. You may decide to count macros or stick to a specific nutrition philosophy such as eating 4 or 5 big meals a day which includes meat, vegetables, and some carbs. A good choice of diet will help you shed those extra pounds and put to an end the sugar-fueled roller-coaster of drastic dips or spikes in energy. Change Your Training Regime By its very nature, CrossFit consists of training diversity. No specific workout is idolized here because it is all about variations. You may start with strength training in the morning and then cardio in the evening. However, the best approach is to change the timing and format of your workouts from one day to the next. This will help you feel fitter and more prepared for the Games. The 2016 CrossFit Games champion, Mat Fraser, says, he prefers lifting before the endurance training and even after the training. Irrespective of the circumstances, he knows the numbers he can hit. Get the Help of an Expert You can’t be stronger in every aspect. There are some areas you will have incredible strength and some pockets of weaknesses. For instance, you may be rock solid in Olympic weightlifting, but coming in dead last on running events. It may not be straightforward tackling your weaknesses, and this is when you need a coach to work with you so that he can help fix your form and technique. In areas where you have less experience, an expert can help you build confidence. Be Positive in Injuries Just like any other professional athlete, you will have your fair share of injuries in CrossFit. You may suffer fractured vertebrae or a torn meniscus. Your reaction to injuries will determine whether you will go on strongly or crash completely. For instance, rushing back to the gym following an injury may compromise recovery. The best way ahead is to give your body time to heal and be positive throughout your injury time. Some injuries give you an opportunity to strengthen other workouts. For instance, a sore elbow will give you an opportunity to strengthen your squat. A sprained ankle, on the other hand, can give you a chance to hone your gymnastic skills. Lastly, you have to learn how to embrace the suck. Some of the killer CrossFit workouts will induce temporary pain, and from time to time, you may hit a wall. Motivational self-talk can help you stick with a challenging workout and push through it.

Just like adults, kids need to be active. One of the best ways to do this is to initiate them into a CrossFit training programme early enough in their lives. There is no clear-cut line of the minimum regarding age from when you can introduce CrossFit to your children. That said, the recommended minimum age is from 7 years. One of the greatest challenges is designing a CrossFit program specifically for kids. If you are at a crossroads not knowing how to go about this, the following tips can help you out. Have a Passion for Children The first tip to running a successful CrossFit program is to develop the love for children. It is almost impossible to coach kids if you don’t have a passion for their development and welfare. Trying to push through this may see you becoming unsuccessful. Be Real to the Kids You may think that kids are not smart when it comes to reading faces, but they know when you are pretending and when you are your authentic self. From the beginning and throughout the program, ensure you remain true to who you really are. Kids love that. Stay Current and Relevant There are lots of movies and cultures that define kids’ ecosystem. If you want to train kids in CrossFit, you need to be up to date with all this stuff. With the internet, kids have become tech savvy, and they are watching movies you probably even haven’t heard about. Try and be current with what kids love to watch so that you can integrate the same into your CrossFit gym lessons. Act Like Them When you enter kids zone, you need to act just like them so that they can identify with you. For instance, you could do voices of popular cartoons or characters so that you can connect with the inner passion and capture the love of your CrossFit kids. Put Boundaries in Place Children know when they do something wrong, and all that they are waiting for is for you to tell them they have messed up. The best way to approach this is to set boundaries and closely monitor the behavior and activities of the kids so that they do not overstep on these boundaries. Be sure that some of the kids will test these boundaries just to see what you can do. Always Maintain Eye Contact Eye contact and confidence are some of the soft tools you can use to instill values and show seriousness to the kids. Whether you are instructing them on a specific skill or reprimanding them for something they have done wrong, eye contact will deliver half the results and complement other measures you may put in place. Have a Back-Pocket Game It is not always that the CrossFit exercises and games you plan will go smoothly. At some point, you may be forced by the context to switch over to another game because the earlier one may not be working right. It is therefore important to have that back-pocket game. Games such as crazy obstacle course and burpee dodgeball always work wonders. Also, remember to be louder than the kids so that they can hear you and make them see that you are in control. At the end of the class, always have a chant or special cheer.

The traps or trapezius refer to the long, triangular-shaped muscle located on the top half of your back. If well developed, traps can change the topography of the upper part of your body. These muscles add size to your shoulders and back and improve strength in almost every upper body lift. The following CrossFit exercises will help you work out these muscles and develop the V-shape torso. Barbell Shrug This is arguably the king of all trap workout movements. They target the upper portion of the traps which are normally responsible for lifting the shoulder blades. Doing a barbell shrug is simple because all you need is to get hold of a barbell through an overhand grip and let the bar hang in front of your waist at arm’s length. Lean forward at your hip while keeping your back naturally arched. Then, gradually bend your knees and shrug your shoulders towards your ears with your arms straight. When you get to the highest point your shoulders can go, reverse the movement back to the beginning position. The Dumbbell Shrug This is somewhat related to the barbell shrug with the exception that it doesn’t stress your shoulder joints as much. This is because your shoulders do not need to rotate to hold the bar. This ensures they remain stable as you perform the workout. Incline Dumbbell Shrug This CrossFit training movement places your body on a low incline bench and targets the lower traps which are often neglected. The lower trapezius is responsible for pulling down your shoulder blades. If ignored, these muscles weaken leading to poor posture and making you vulnerable to injuries. Dumbbell Jump Shrug This workout hits the fast-twitch muscle fibers which are endowed with the greatest potential for strength and size. With the explosive movement of the jump shrug, more power is added to your training program. When doing this exercise, your goal should be to do each rep as fast as possible while at the same time maintaining control of the weight. Barbell Behind the Back Shrug This movement targets the levator scapulae, middle traps, and upper traps. The levator scapulae refer to the rope-like muscle which runs down at the back of your neck. When performing this workout, never stick your head forward or downward. This is because it may result in injury and prevent full activation of your traps. Barbell Row Rowing exercises such as the barbell row target the lower and middle traps as well as rhomboids. These are the muscles that ensure your shoulder blades move as you lift weights. Movement of shoulder blades is very important because unstable shoulders can limit your strength in chest and arm exercises. Your rotator cuff, rear deltoids, and upper traps will also assist during the rowing movement. Overhead Barbell Shrug When you hold the barbell weight above your head and then shrug, it works your upper traps. Additionally, it reduces the emphasis on your levator scapulae which are frequently overused when compared to the upper traps. This CrossFit workout leads to a better posture.Other exercises for your traps include dumbbell lateral raise, snatch grip barbell high pull, dumbbell overhead carry, and scaption.

Whether consciously or unconsciously, we spend most of our days in doing activities with terrible posture. At work, we crouch over keyboards as our hips shorten and chests cave in from sitting. While driving, our arms are right in front of us, and our hip flexors are shortened by the sitting. As the body adjusts into this bad posture, it becomes very difficult to undo it. The good news is that kettlebell swing can help you correct your posture and prevent overuse of muscles. People who are not doing this exercise are destined to stay tight, weak, and fat for the most of their lives. Kettlebell swings when done properly work your posterior chain muscles which include the hamstrings, butt, abs, and back and combat all the ill effects of your body posture. The following verbal cues sum up the kettlebell CrossFit workout. Hike When swinging a kettlebell, every rep counts. From rep one all the way to rep 20, you should look as powerful and fluid. It is at this point that the hike pass is essential. The hike pass allows you to pre-stretch your lats. The lats are a powerful muscle found in your upper body and have a direct relationship with your glutes. For the hike, set your kettlebell at a distance of about 12 to 18 inches right in front of you. Then, push your hips back as you bend your knees slightly and keep your butt high. Grip the kettlebell using both hands and pull your shoulders into their sockets as you fire your lats. Hinge The hinge movement, unlike a squat, is dominated by the hips. As you push your hips back and keep your butt high and shins vertical, you are basically hingeing. The advantage with hingeing is that it overloads your glute and hamstring muscles thereby creating a natural balance between back and front. This, in turn, helps in preventing hip and knee issues. The hinge is fondly referred to as the foundation of the kettlebell swing. If you experience difficulties in hingeing, even swinging will be a problem. By the fact that the hinge loads the hamstrings, it is billed as one of the most powerful movement. Root This movement can best be summed as a standing plank where each of your muscles is tightened from shoulders downwards. Try to imagine you are growing roots through your feet, and the entire foot grabs the ground. Then, pull your kneecaps all the way up into your crotch. This flexes your quads. Then, squeeze your glutes and pull your shoulders as far as you can away from your ears. This is the true definition of root position. The kettlebell swing is basically a series of roots and hinges.  Float When you swing the kettlebell during CrossFit training, the float is what results. The advantage of this movement is that it ensures all your energies are focused not on trying to muscle the kettlebell to a given height, but on your glutes. As you go from the hinge movement to root, the kettlebell will float higher as you contract your glutes harder. Regardless of your CrossFit workout goal, mastering the kettlebell swing is the best thing that can ever happen to you. It will not only give you strength but also help you add pounds to your squat and deadlift.    

CrossFitters and professional athletes are among the most active people. However, for them to optimize their activities, they need the right shoe and not just that, but the right fit as well. Having the right shoe can mean the difference between active participation and just sitting on the sidelines. Podiatrists have also upped their game when it comes to foot care especially concerning special needs of athletes. Many cases of injury have been cited which are being caused by improper selection of shoes. When choosing CrossFit shoes, getting the right shoe can be deceptively complex. Most manufacturers do not follow the standards of width and length. Also, the sizes differ between brands and different styles. You could get a certain shoe size that fits well in one brand and struggles to fit when you pick another brand. Irrespective of the inconsistency, getting the right fitting shoe begins with measuring. Athletes should try shoes which are made in 2 to 4 widths per half size. Unfortunately, visiting most stores, you will find the shoes manufacturers make are only one width. Because of this, athletes whose feet are wider may have to compromise and choose shoes that are too long so that they can get the width they need. The Shape of the Shoe If you want comfortable shoes, it is imperative that you match the shoe shape with your foot shape. Feet come in a variety of shapes and shoes are massively produced with a limited number of forms. According to the manufacturers, the forms available should typically accommodate the various foot shapes characteristics. Size is not the only factor when choosing a shoe because if you get one that is of the wrong shape, it may result in sub-optimal fit. The shoe shape factor to bear in mind includes arch morphology, forefoot breadth, toe depth, instep height, and heel width. Shoe Stability Most manufacturers tend to capitalize on the concept of stability to boost their shoe marketing campaigns. Some of them go to the extent of promising you everything from allowing your feet to move just as nature intended, to limiting excessive foot motion. Depending on your gait needs, shoes combine different features to balance motion control and cushioning. For you to determine the stability of a shoe, try squeezing the sides of the heel counter. Stable shoes will naturally resist compression. The second test is to hold the shoe at the toes and the heel and twist it. Shoes that are torsionally stable will resist twisting. Pronation You may find some runners demonstrating overpronation which means their feet Evert excessively after making initial ground contact. This diminishes the natural benefits of shock absorption that come with pronation. Athletes who have low arches with moderate to severe overpronation, they need motion control shoes that give them maximum rearfoot control as well as extra medial side support. These shoes may integrate carbon graphite or plastic stabilization piece at the calcaneus. Don’t go for general shoes, but rather specific shoes for specific surfaces and activities. Your CrossFit training will be worthwhile if you invest in the right set of shoes.  

Do you want to improve or develop your endurance, cardiovascular system, strength and burn fat? Well, the CrossFit workouts are beneficial for you. These workouts are all in one solution to form your body, make you fitter and stronger than ever before. These full body CrossFit workouts do not require any types of equipment; people only need to jump, rings, pull-up bar, rope, etc. CrossFit exercises are incredibly challenging that build muscle while stressing your cardiorespiratory system. There are plenty of advance and beginner-friendly workouts designed to build your confidence and strength fast. Check out below CrossFit workouts that are advantageous for the full body.  Burpees: In a standing position, put hands on the floor, jump feet back, perform pushups then jump back to the standing position. Deadlifts: You should try to do a weight between 95 to 135 pounds for this. Dumbbell Thrusters: For this, you should hold a dumbbell of 15-25 pounds with both of your hands in front of your chest. In squat down position keep the dumbbell in place, and then stand back up simultaneously raising the dumbbell overhead. Kettlebell Swings: Try to do it with a 53-pound Kettlebell, but if that is too heavy, you can also use a 35-pound one. Air squats, sit-ups, pushups, ring rows are perfect exercises that you need to perform as fast as you can. Lunges: Carry a 65-pound barbell in the front rack position, keep the bar in front of you, resting on shoulders, with your fingers touch the bar to keeps it stable and your elbows keep the bar in place. For alternate legs, make sure your knee touches the ground in each repetition. Box jump: Another common CrossFit exercise in which you have to stand in front of 20-24 inch box and jump onto it by using both feet at the same time. It can be difficult, so you can step up and step down rather than jumping. Ring Dips: For this, hold a ring in each hand, lower yourself till your hands hit your underarms, then push back until arms become straight. Feel free to rest your toes on the floor to help. If you are not strong enough, you can also do classic triceps dips with your hands on a bench. Wall balls: Use a medicine ball that must be 15-20 pounds and stand about an arm’s length from a wall. Lower yourself in a full squat; hold the ball under your chin. From the bottom of the squat, keep elbows under the ball, and the ball should be close to your body. Once hips get fully open, throw the ball up to a spot 10 feet up. Catch the ball and return to the bottom of the squat to begin the next repetition. Sumo deadlift high pulls: This move is not difficult like its name. You need to start with your feet by keeping it wider than shoulder-width, then squat down and keep the chest up. Push your hips back, and grab about 55-pound barbell with a narrow grip. Now, stand up and open hips, and pull the bar up till it reaches your collarbone, keep elbows above the bar. The reverse movement of the return bar to the ground. Whether you are a CrossFit veteran or a curious exerciser, these exercises are excellent for the beginner and advanced alike. It depends on how much you put into it and how much you challenge yourself.